


Back to Jack: A tale of a shrine

by PetitJ



Series: Back to Jack series [2]
Category: Samurai Jack (Cartoon)
Genre: Mirai is a cutie!, they deserve happiness dammit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-07
Updated: 2017-06-07
Packaged: 2018-11-10 05:30:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11120895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PetitJ/pseuds/PetitJ
Summary: "He smiled and his attention drifted from his encounter with the Guardian to his beautiful Mirai. She was just one year old and he could tell she was going  the spitting image of her mother. He didn’t mind. It only reminded him that Ashi was here for good. That she was not vanishing, that she left a mark in this world that no one would forget anytime soon." Second part of my fic "Back to Jack" but it can be read as a stand alone story





	Back to Jack: A tale of a shrine

**Author's Note:**

> here we go again guys! I still had many ideas inside my head so here they are. Maybe I will write a series about this universe? Who knows?

Five years have passed since she disappeared. He would always remember it as one of the darkest times of his life along the fifty year gap after losing his sword. He didn’t eat, he didn’t sleep, he didn’t talk. The universe was so unfair to him, but mostly, unfair to her. 

Without her, he would still be wandering hopeless in the future. Without her, he wouldn’t have killed Aku in the past. 

However, that day, in the forest, he knew she was  there, somewhere. Unreachable, yes, but existing still. As the light escaped the clouds, a bit of hope shined in his heart. One of the things that pained him the most was the idea of her not even having a soul. Death was easier to understand and mourn, but not existing at all? He just couldn’t take it. So that little gesture sparkled something he didn’t even know he still had.

 That’s why, once she reached him, he decided to start his journey again. He went first to the mountain where he lost his sword. He made contact with the Gods once, he hoped this time it was the same.

As few happy little rams followed his step, he reached the highest point and sit there, meditating. 

He didn’t know how much it took, but the shadow of three figures appeared in front of him. It took everything with him to don’t berate them and he would have done it if it wasn’t for Ashi’s message. They could have the answers he needed.

 -We were expecting you, Samurai- Odin said

-It took you a while- Rama replied 

Jack told them why he was here, even if he was sure they already knew. He told them also about that moment in the forest and how he was sure it was Ashi sending him a message. 

-Seems like she finally reached her- Ra replied-. I knew she was the right one

-What do you mean? 

Ra explained how another Goddess took care of Ashi by his request. Him, she was also a deity of the sun, but her power was more suitable for the task 

-Did she see her?- Jack asked, his heart bursting with joy. She was somewhere. He only had to find her- Is she well? 

-Samurai, focus- Odin called him-. You have a more important question in mind and we are here to respond only to that. We own you for what you did 

-And we own her too- Rama added- and the red string of fate is something not even Time can challenge 

Jack bowed understanding and asked them the way he had to take from now.

 

* * *

 

He should have thought this before. Obviously the Guardian would be alive since Aku never got to kill him in the first place. However, the explanation the Gods gave him was so vague he didn’t know exactly what to do once he found him. 

They said he needed the magic of the portal, but not how to use it exactly. He would have to go to a specific time? The implications of that were risky. What if that made Aku appear again? Yes, Ashi would be alive, but he was sure that’s not what she would want. After all, she did this sacrifice probably knowing the consequences. 

There was also the possibility of having to fight with him again. His skills have improved greatly, but defeating him was not a joking matter. 

When he reached the portal in the mountain, untouched and apparently working still with his Guardian next to it, he asked for Ashi’s guidance wherever she was.

 

* * *

 

-Jack! Look at her- Ashi exclaimed, holding their little daughter by her hands- Her legs are getting so strong. She will be walking in no time

 He smiled and his attention drifted from his encounter with the Guardian to his beautiful Mirai. She was just one year old and he could tell she was going  the spitting image of her mother. He didn’t mind. It only reminded him that Ashi was here for good. That she was not vanishing, that she left a mark in this world that no one would forget anytime soon. 

-Look how strong you are becoming- he cooed to the girl-. You will be throwing kicks to other kids just like your mother did with me when we met 

Ashi only reply was a small punch in his ribs. Mirai just gave them both a toothless grin and decided she wanted to be in her father’s arms for the rest of the trip. 

-So, you are not telling me why are we returning to this place?- he asked to his wife. Ashi smiled, opening her paper parasol and covering the three of them. Unlikely to her, she had been very secretive about what she has been doing in the forest. Jack only knew she asked to some servants to build something. She rarely asked for anything that she couldn’t do herself so her request was received with enthusiasm and surprise. Still, she refused to share her plans with him. 

-I’ve been thinking about it since I was back. I just wanted to be sure of something first- it was the only thing she said when he asked. That was little before Mirai turned one year old, just a few months ago. He decided to not press the matter anymore. She would tell him once she was ready. 

At the end, he was right. That morning, when the servants informed that her project was finished, she asked him to take Mirai to a little excursion to their forest. 

-You never told me what happened with the Guardian- Ashi suddenly asked-. I know you found him and then he paid a visit to me, but never how exactly the portal took you to me 

-We didn’t have the chance once you were back. We had to restore your health and when you were better we had other things in mind such as another wedding, the honeymoon… 

Ashi chuckled as Jack blushed a little. He would never change 

-Then you started to take more and more responsibilities from your father  and then Mirai came along- she added-. It’s incredible that the detail that made everything possible has been eluding us all this time 

-Well, in the case you want to know, he told me it was finally the right time to use the portal. Apparently, I had to use it under other circumstances, but since the future changed, also it did its use for me. For us actually. Portals are basically connections to other dimensions. They can be used to jump to other times, but also to other places of this universe. The place where you were was distant but reachable so he let me pass for this time only. He wanted to see if I wasn’t lying to him, though, so he wanted to see you first. 

-I see. I barely saw him, but I had the idea it was him for what you told me 

-Now I think about it. You never told me how you manipulated that light in this same forest and in the nothingness. I didn’t know you had that skill 

-I didn’t

-Yes, but then how…?

-You’ll see once we get to our tree 

It was their tree now. In their shared future and this present. There, Ashi learned the truth about Aku and years before, he recovered for a second time the hope. As he expected, the tree was still untouched, however, this time, a little shrine made of red wood was under its shadow. 

-So this was your little secret- he said while Ashi crouched to give a better look to the construction- Who are we paying our respects? 

-To her- she explained, pulling out her mirror out her furisode sleeve. Jack had seen the object before. She was clutching  it when he reached her and when they were back she still had it. When he asked her about it, she just smiled and told him it was a secret. Then he remembered the time they passed next to a very similar shrine time ago. 

-Amaterasu? You met Amaterasu-sama?

-You are not the only one who has contacts- she smiled, putting the mirror inside the shrine and making a little prayer 

So that it was what Ra meant when he said he sent a goddess to help Ashi. He never imagined it was Amaterasu, the deity of the sun and the universe. It made sense, but it was still unbelievable. He crouched next to her and put Mirai in his lap. 

-She gave me this mirror to give you light in this very same spot. Then when you came for me, I used the last of its powers to guide you to me. We own to Ra,Rama and Odin, but we also own her. 

-But why did you wait so much to pay your respects?

 Ashi sighed and from her eyes quiet tears started to appear. 

-I guess I just wanted to be sure I wouldn’t disappear again. I have no parents in this world. I was basically created from nothing again. That’s not how it works, you know I’ve investigated. I am an anomaly. 

-Ashi, don’t say that 

-It’s true, Jack. And I am grateful! But it is hard to believe that destiny gave me this chance. When Mirai was born, I thought that finally I could be sure I was here for good, but I also was afraid for her. Her mother shouldn’t be in this world. What if a part of her… 

Both looked at her, a ladybug was standing in her nose and she was clapping happily to that marvelous event 

-But here she is- she continued-. She is healthy and she is growing like any other child. So I decided it was time to let the fear go and pay my respects to Amaterasu. She knows it took me a while, but it was in my mind all this time

 Jack knew her fear to vanish lingered, but not as much she was telling him now. He thought it was only him who was scared. However, his worries ended up when Mirai was born. He didn’t imagine she was still struggling. 

-Then I have to pay my respects to such honorable deity- he said, putting his hands together and saying a silent prayer. Mirai saw him and made a similar gesture in an awkward manner.

 Ashi let out a teary laugh. 

This was it. From now on, she was going to enjoy her life with her family. Granted, she had no parents or family whatsoever, but she had Jack, Mirai, her in laws and so many friends in the kingdom and beyond. 

_“Living it was not we have when we are born, but what we build in the way,_ ” she thought and as if Amaterasu agreed, for one last time, the mirror shined that afternoon next to that tree that would remain the same for centuries to come.

**Author's Note:**

> See ya next time!


End file.
